Let’s face it. 2022 was a stressful year. Ever since the pandemic, it seems we as a society have grown accustomed to a certain level of stress. However, that isn’t a good thing! Did you know that stress can be hugely detrimental to your health? It’s true! Many diseases and physical syndromes can be traced back to high levels of stress in a person’s life. If you or someone you know experiences this kind of stress then the time to act is now. The effects of stress only worsen with age, so if you’re considering making a change. Then you should consider doing it sooner rather than later! But this begs the question, how does one actively try to reduce the amount of stress in their life? Well, don’t worry because we’ve created this amazing guide to take some of the stress out of an already stressful topic. So stick with us, as we take a deep dive into how we can achieve peak relaxation in 2023!
Making the Most Out of Mindfulness
One of the greatest tools in our arsenal for the reduction of stress is to practice mindfulness. Now, if you don’t know what mindfulness is, that’s ok! With this entry, we will endeavor to take some of the mystery out of mindfulness. However, it should be noted that mindfulness techniques, as well as meditation, are centuries-old areas of study. So you’ll have to excuse us if we only give you the broad strokes of the subject. Mindfulness essentially is a way to train our minds and our bodies to be fully present in our surroundings. Now, this is easier said than done, and what this sensation feels like tends to be different from person to person but to get started try this exercise. First, find a comfortable place to sit. This can be on the floor or a couch, or even a big comfy chair. It doesn’t matter, as long as you feel comfortable. Then take your phone out of your pocket and set a timer for ten minutes to start. Now that your timer’s going and your phone is away from your body. Close your eyes. Start to mentally scan up and down your body. This doesn’t have to be particularly thorough, but pay attention to the parts of your body that feel like they’re aching or need some extra attention. Then take that feeling, and sit with it for a second. Let the whole feeling enter your mind and retain all of your focus. Feel this feeling till you’ve reached its deepest stem, and then watch as it lazily drifts away. Notice how much more at ease you feel. Continue this process for the rest of the time set on your timer, and once it buzzes open your eyes and comes back to the room. Immediately you’ll feel a much keener sense of your surroundings as you feel all of your tension start to relax a little in your body. As you do these exercises take special note of how you feel afterward. Once you do this you’ll notice that you’re more present than you used to be. This allows you to participate more fully in any given action, whether you’re hanging out with friends or lying in a hammock. Now that we have a handle on the mental aspect of relaxation, let’s take a look at the physical.
Entering Our Physical Plane
So now that we’ve taken a look at the fascinating world of mindfulness, let’s draw our focus from out of the brain and into the body! Did you know that we have a physical response to stress? Believe it or not, it’s called tension, and it can be held in many different parts of the body. Some people hold their tension in their shoulders; others in their lower back. Some people even clench their jaws. Regardless when you have all that tension, and you stuff it anywhere on your body that it’ll fit. Things can quickly start to get a little wonky. The main thing we can do to get rid of some of that tension is to exercise. Exercising our bodies in areas where we hold tension is not only a great way to work out that discomfort. But we also build strength in those areas. Making it harder and harder for that tension to return. Now, if you’re new to exercise all of this can seem a little abstract. But once you start your fitness journey, you’ll quickly see what we mean! But how does one start that kind of journey? Well, it’s easy! First things first, start small. Exercise and fitness work best with momentum. If you try to start by running five miles a day when you haven’t even taken a walk in the last six months isn’t going to get you far. Instead, try taking a long walk. Set a timer for ten minutes and then walk in any direction. Once your timer goes off, simply turn around and walk back home. If you do this every day you’ll start to notice results almost immediately. Not only do you feel like you’re in better shape, but many people report positive changes in their mood as well! This is because exercise dumps serotonin and endorphins into your bloodstream. Which are proven to have a healthy effect on one’s mental health!
Conclusion
If you’re looking to relax this year, it may take some effort. The thing about stressors in one’s life is that they don’t tend to just disappear. A lot of people report having a ton of difficulty learning to cope with these stressors. And though there are tons of supplemental treatments one could try. For instance, a quick search for an IV bar near me will show you some amazing ways to get your vitamin b12. You may not always have reliable access to these kinds of treatments. That’s why it is so important for one to be able to have a sense of control and harmony with their mind and body. Having that kind of dialogue where you can assess what’s going on internally is the quickest and most effective way to come up with a solution for your stress. Don’t be bogged down by everyday annoyances. Rise above them through a combination of exercise and meditation. And if you need any more help, then just take another spin through this article so that you too can achieve peak relaxation this year!
